Central America: The FARC, the Contras and the Flow of Weapons

The April 15 seizure of 218 weapons in Honduras has uncovered a major arms- and drug-smuggling network that moves weapons from Central America to Colombian militants by way of Honduras and the Colombian island of San Andres. Although Honduran government officials have hinted that the weapons came from the United States, they more likely originated with former U.S. Cold War allies in Nicaragua and El Salvador. Even so, the arms seizure will increase pressures in the region for greater direct U.S. engagement in Central American security — a move the Bush administration seems willing to endorse.